Let's Talk: Drug Information Web Sites

SBB talks a lot about science related to drug abuse and addiction. Judging from the great comments and questions that you guys have posted during the year, we can tell that you have brushed up on your facts. So once again, give us the scoop:

Besides SBB, what other blogs or Web sites do you visit to get the facts on science, health, drugs, and addiction?

To answer the question, either submit a comment by writing your response in the “Leave a Reply” box below, or send us a message. As always, we read all comments and consider all feedback.

Remember, you can respond to previous questions we’ve asked at any time! Whether you respond to an older post or the newest post, we always look forward to hearing from you.

Comments

Submitted by Toliath on January 06, 2011

I hope you realize that the information on this web-site. As it pertains to marijuana. Is about as far from the truth as it can be. Not that this is a big suprise. Especially considering the sources this info has been taken from. The government might like to tell you how bad marijuana is. But why don't you talk to those doctors that say it has beneficial uses? Oh thats right, I forgot the government would know more about health related topics than doctors. Because you know these government officials went to school to practice medicine and all. Why don't you all open your eyes and look to see whats going on around you. You've got how many people dead this year because of alcohol. For marijuana, that number has remained 0 for thousands of years. As for students using drugs. How many are being given ridillin(not sure of the spelling) at the request of teachers? And although it might not be a methanphetimine. How closely related are they? And this can be said for most prescription drugs. For instance oxycodin, also known as synthetic herion. Maybe, just maybe, you should target the true gate way drugs. I'm talking, of course, about sugar, caffeine, and chocolate. Three things almost every child is given. Or maybe people should just stop targeting the only non-narcotic illegal drug. [expletive deleted]

@Toliath As you point out, NIDA is a government health agency, part of the National Institutes of Health. Btw, it is a research organization. The main goal is to prevent and treat substance abuse and to help stop addiction before it gets started. That’s why we reach out to teens especially. Also to physicians to educate them about how to recognize drug abuse in patients, or know how to direct people to get help.

Many NIDA-funded scientists and doctors are researching the effects of drugs like marijuana on the endocannabinoid system – the brain system that reacts with marijuana to counter pain, for example.

But marijuana is only one subject of research. Prescription drugs are another one, especially since NIDA’s 2010 study of teen use of drugs (check out http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/guest-blog-from-dr-nora-volkow-nida-director/) shows that many 8th, 10th, and 12th graders are abusing them. In general, medications like Ritalin or Adderall are effective when a doctor prescribes them for certain conditions (like ADHD). But when you don’t have that diagnosis and use these drugs anyway, or take too much of them, this is drug abuse. And you’re right, they are stimulants, which means they act in the same part of the brain as methamphetamine, an illegal stimulant drug. On your other point, recognizing the dangers of alcohol, which is legal, does not really justify using an illegal drug to get high. People who are high also drive and get into fatal crashes, as with alcohol: in fact, in 1 in 14 fatal crashes, THC (the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana - meaning the substance most responsible for changing the way your brain perceives) is found in the blood. So the “0” deaths thing doesn’t really hold. Sugar, caffeine, and chocolate – you make a point. Scientists are now studying their health effects as well. However, they’re not all bad. Black and white thinking doesn’t help anyone’s cause, as you seem to suggest.

I have noticed that a lot of teenagers today are using and abusing drugs because they think that drugs are cool and that they make everything bad just go away and make you feel better. Well those teenagers are wrong because I used to be friends with this guy and we used to hang out all the time until I found out that he used drugs and every time he asked me for money that he was using it to buy drugs and not the thing he said he was. We still talk as friends because we have a brother/sister relationship but I don't give him anymore money to help him. I talked to him about how I felt and he's in rehab because he didn't want to lose me as a friend and "sister" and I'm glad I could help him because then he got his best friend and older brother to stop too. I'm proud of all of them because I've lost a cousin and best friend that died from using and abusing drugs. I hope what I have just said can help others because that would make me feel really good inside that I helped a drug addict get help and live a better life.

I hope you understand that the information about this web-site. As it pertains to cannabis. Is about because far from the truth as possible. Not that this can be a big shock. Especially thinking about the sources this particular info continues to be taken from. The federal government might prefer to tell you exactly how bad cannabis is. However why don’t a person talk to individuals doctors which say it's beneficial utilizes? Oh that is right, We forgot the federal government would know much more about health related subjects than physicians. Because you understand these federal government officials visited school to rehearse medicine and all sorts of. Why don’t all of you open your vision and look to determine whats happening around you.

NIDA scientist Dr. Joseph Frascella offers some insights on @cheerio's question:
Hi cheerio,
You ask a great question. As you probably know, some initial studies show that too much video gaming can lead to attention issues. But to your specific point, some recent evidence for video games helping to focus one’s attention now show that visual attention (that is, attention to visual details in the environment) might be enhanced by some video games. So research is showing us that with the right training, we might be able to help the brain, even with video games!